There are plenty of international jobs in finance for business majors who enjoy working with global accounts, employees and organizations. Below introduces three exciting finance jobs that all offer career stability and opportunities for advancement.
Finance Specialist
Finance specialists are responsible for daily financial operations, which includes financial analysis, reporting and forecasting. They must ensure adherence to business segment budgets through overseeing accounting procedures, monitoring cost proposals and reviewing contract negotiations. Therefore, they must have a sound understanding of business processes and their associated cost drivers. They also assist with adjusting, organizing and posting financial entries to accounts. Finance specialists assist with internal and external audits that are designed to test internal controls and accountancy accuracy.
They also function as a liaison between the local and the corporate finance departments through supporting collaboration and information sharing. This means that they must ensure that local and corporate company accounts accurately concur with each other. They may require them to assertively request cost and account balance reconciliations. Thus, they interact with various departments regarding contracts, scheduling, procurement and program management. Finally, they have project management responsibilities with temporary budgets and forecasts
Finance Analyst
An international financial analyst is a challenging position that provides excellent opportunities for career advancement, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. International financial analysts significantly contribute to the executive decision making process through their research, knowledge and recommendations. Therefore, they directly affect the long term success and profitability of the company. They must proactively manage international markets through developing and implementing cost and financial process improvement plans. For example, they must maintain and update the cost accounting system by working closely with the sales and manufacturing departments.
They are directly involved in key financial decisions regarding existing and new product or service developments. For example, they may be called upon to decide whether or not to proceed with a new product launch project. They also assist in the global management of major accounts through the use of financial data gathering, analysis and solution generation. They must effectively manage global pricing strategies in order to maximize profitability. They also provide analytical support and advice to senior management by carrying out a wide range of special research projects. However, international jobs in finance also include managerial positions.
Finance Director
A finance director leads and supervises finance-based teams through proper leadership, coaching and empowerment. They are responsible to create and share their strategic visions and goals for business development and growth. Therefore, they must make sure that all financial reports are accurate and completed in a timely manner. This will include translating report data and projections into innovative solutions and actionable recommendations. They also have important risk management responsibilities, such as analyzing issues, offering alternatives and participating in the executive problem solving process.
They must analyze internal and external historical financial data in order to understand and benchmark the business’ performance. Based on these reports, they will also incorporate identified strengths into strategic planning and integrate opportunities for improvement into company goals. They must develop processes and procedures to guarantee effective financial controls that are aligned with internal standards and regulatory requirements. Thus, they are ultimately responsible for compliance and conformity with internal, industry and government standards. Finally, they must oversee current assets and determine the feasibility of future investments.
Related Resource: Become an Investment Banker
In closing, there are countless opportunities for accounting or finance students in international companies. Company controller, investment analyst and finance support analyst are additional international jobs in finance.